The present invention is related to the field of conveyance on land of a boat, and more specifically to transporting an inflatable raft over land.
Watercraft are mobile in water but awkward to maneuver on land. Larger pleasure craft must be towed by trailer behind a motor vehicle and essentially backed directly into the water. Lighter craft, such as canoes, pontoon boats and rafts, can be maneuvered by hand, but such handling typically requires more than one person to accomplish.
Further, this latter type of craft is frequently used in areas where a conveniently located boat ramp is uncommon. Therefore, it is often necessary to convey the craft a substantial distance between the water and a trailer or other means by which the craft was delivered to the region.
Commonly, craft transport is undertaken along broken or uneven terrain or through narrow paths, trails and the like. It is therefore desirable that the craft mobilization over uneven ground be stable in terms of pitch and roll.
Devices for transporting a craft on land have been addressed by the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,109,520 to Flower teaches a rail-framed wheelbarrow-type caster for conveying a canoe. The caster apparatus engages the gunwales of the canoe. U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,282 to Prickett teaches a bow caster with an engaging clip for transporting an inverted boat. This caster comprises two side rail members and two U-shaped retaining members. U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,196 to Eide teaches a wheel-and-strut assembly that slides up into a stern-mounted guide. U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,451 to O""Connor discloses a wheel and strut assembly designed to fit into existing rudder gudgeons. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,964 to Capobianco teaches a two-wheeled kayak carting device having struts that fit into apertures formed within the hull of the kayak.
These prior art devices are typically bulky, heavy and ill-suited for use with lightweight water craft. The weight and size is important when the portaging device is meant to be stored aboard the water craft, and especially when the water craft is in use in the water.
Further, it is known that some mobilization systems include a pair of wheels, each of which is individually strapped to a respective pontoon. Such a system has a known disadvantage of requiring a wide path on which to maneuver the raft. Furthermore, such wheels cannot be firmly affixed to the pontoons. This limitation causes the craft to wobble when rolled.
The present invention overcomes these problems and limitations of the prior art.
Generally, the present invention provides a portage apparatus for a lightweight water craft having a central frame. The apparatus comprises a receiver member and means for attaching said receiver member to the central frame. A proximal end of the engaging member couples in a selected orientation to the receiver member and is fastened thereto. A wheel means, fixed to the distal end of the engaging member, permits the water craft to be manually lifted and rolled in wheelbarrow fashion over land.
In a preferred embodiment, the receiver member is tubular, comprising an open end leading to a hollow interior along a longitudinal axis of said tubular receiver member and further comprising a pair of coaxial holes formed through an outer wall of the receiver member. The engaging member is likewise tubular and comprises a pair of coaxial holes formed through an outer wall of the engaging member. The proximal end of the engaging member is received through the open end of the tubular receiver member into the hollow interior, such that the engaging member coaxial holes and receiver member coaxial holes are in substantial registry. The engagement is secured with a pin received through said coaxial receiver and engaging members.
A method for portaging a water craft of a type having a central frame comprises attaching a receiver member to the central frame of the water craft. A wheel assembly, including a wheel rotatably disposed on one end of the wheel assembly, is engaged with the receiver member and coupled thereto. The water craft may then be manually lifted and rolled in wheelbarrow fashion over land. The wheel assembly is then decoupled from the receiver member, and the water craft and receiver member is slid into the water until the water craft floats on a water surface.
The invention will become more readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which proceeds with reference to the drawings, in which: